The NGO Tuna Forum has recently published guidance on workers’ rights for companies engaged in the tuna industry, following an intervention by Human Rights at Sea.
Tuna are fished in more than 70 countries and are among the world’s most popular fish and therefore among the most commercially valuable. Yet, the workers in this multi-billion industry still encounter some of the worst forms of human and labour abuses experienced in the sector.
Although not part of the drafting or research stage, after reviewing the initial guidance in January 2023, Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) voiced its concerns over the drafting and tone of the document and ultimately triggered key amendments.
HRAS has announced that it is pleased to see its various recommendations including, but not limited to, a primary focus on established International Human Rights Law, combating a lack of industry transparency through public incident reporting, and the need for an enforcement and deterrent effect now covered in the text.
The NGO Tuna Forum brings together NGOs, other individuals, and organisations that work on global tuna sustainability issues, predominantly with a conservation focus. The guidance on workers’ rights for companies engaged in the tuna industry is designed to ‘enhance and improve alignment’ in a sector where human rights abuses, including human trafficking, forced labour and death at sea, are rife but, sadly, not new.
NGO Tuna Forum emphasises that its guidance ‘should not be considered comprehensive,’ and add that it is ‘intended to unambiguously state the minimum actions that all companies involved in tuna fishing must take now to identify, prevent, mitigate, and remediate labour rights abuses in their supply chains.’